Inkstand



(No Model.)

I. W. HEYSINGER.

INKSTAND.

Patented Nov. 11, 1884,

INVENTOR WITNESSES:

ivrrnn dramas Parana @hltllfild.

ISAAC V. HEYSINGER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

INKSTAND.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 307,764, dated November 11, 1884:.

Application filed July 152, 1883. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, Isaac W. Hnrsmenn, of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Inkstands, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 shows an inkstand embodying my invention in perspective, with a hand introdueing a pen therein. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section along the front of the valve 0. Fig. 3 is a central vertical section from front to rear, showing in dotted outline the method of removing the valve 0. Fig. 4. is a view in perspective of said valve 0 removed from its seat in the inkstand; and Fig. 5 is a cross-section on the lines of Fig. 2, showing the ink chamber laterally removable through the side of the stand, for use with india-ink, artists colors, and for other purposes.

The lettering in all the figures is uniform.

My invention consists in its first part of forming an inkstand with an inkspace and an outer casin g of any of the forms in general use, and providing the cover, which may be either fixed thereto or detachable, with a raised portion or hood, having an opening at the front side thereof for introducing a pen, and covering said opening with a vertical or inclined valve swinging inwardly from a pivot or pivots at the upper portion thereof when pressed against by the pen from the front, said valve closing automatically behind the pen when the same is removed, so as to prevent the evaporation of the ink, the introduction of dust, dirt, or other foreign substances, or the too rapid oxidation of the ink by the action of the at mospherc.

Secondly, my invention consists of a hinged valve for closing inkstands, adapted to be opened inwardly by the pressure of the pen against the same, composed of glass or other vitrified substance whereim pi n ged upon by the pen, unaffected by the acids ofink, and presenting a glassy and smooth surface to the pen, which said surface cannot become roughened by the corrosive action of the ink or by the stabbing or scraping of the pen-point against the same, so as to impede the ready introduction of the pen or injure the point thereof.

In the third place, my invention consists of an inkstand provided with valve-supports and a hinged valve for closing the ink-vent, said valve being readily removable by simply lifting the same from its hinges for cleansing the inkstand, and replaceable at will.

Fourthly, my invention consists in provid ing a cavity in an inkstand just beneath the place where the pen-point passes through the ink, and filling the said cavity under the ink with shot or other cleansing and resisting material, whereby the advance of the pen is gradually arrested by the friction of the said shot while penetrating the same, and at the same time the pen-point is cleansed by contact of its sides therewith and simultaneously supplied with ink.

My invention consists, fifthly, in providing an inkstand for india-ink for draftsmen with a hinged cover readily opened inwardly by the pressure of the pen, and provided with an ink-space and a grinding-tablet,which may be readily removed and replaced beneath said hinged cover or valve.

teferring to the drawings, A is an inkstand having an outer case of any ordinary form, which may be provided with pen-racks D I), if desired, or with pen-supporting pins E E.

M is the ink-space in the body of the inkstand A, and is made of sufficient capacity to hold a considerable quantity of ink, without enough depth to allow the body of the penholder above the insertion of the pen therein 8 5 to scrape against the lower edge of the valve 0 and become soiled thereby. 1

M in Fig. 3 shows the ink in dotted outline.

B is an elevated part or hood raised upon the cover of the inkstand, provided with a 9 I transverse slot at the upper part, to allow the introduction of the valve 0, as shown in Fig.

3, and open at the front side, except when closed by the swinging valve C. At the top the hood B is provided with notches or seats for the bearings or pins 0 c of the valve 0, upon which the said valve is supported and upon which it swings. The sides of the open ing in the hood Bare fiangedinwardly, to make the lateral edges of the valve 0 close against them and add security to the joint; but this is not absolutely essential if the parts be properly fitted to each other. The top of the inkstand in front of the open side of the hood B is cut down on a curve or bevel, (shown at H, Figs. 1 and 3,) to more freely admit insertion of the pen without pushing back the valve too far or soiling the stem of the pen-holder, and

'prefer, however, being glass, porcelain, or

enameled metal. It is in the form of a flat plate provided with supporting-pins c and c or their equivalents at the top, the lower edge being bent backward, as shown at to form a counter-weight and assist in closing the valve by the action of gravity when used in the inkstand. This part 6- is so curved as 'to permit the valve to be readily removed from the inkstand by taking the ends of the pins 0 and c, which should project sufficiently far for the purpose from the sides of the hood B, between the thumb and forefinger, and drawing the valve up vertically until the curved part causes it to be canted backward, as shown in Fig. 3, when it may be entirely taken out for cleaning or for washing out the inkstand. Instead of the pins 0 c, the top of the valve C may be bent backward into a curved hook, so as to be supported and swung upon the front edge of the hood B, which hook will also act as a counterweight and take the place of the one shown below, and instead of the curved lower edge of the valve 0 a counter-weight of other forms may be used, either at the top or bottom of said valve; or, when the valve 0 is inclined forward, instead of being vertical or sloped backward, no counter-weight may be required. As shown in Fig. 3, this valve swings freely backward in the hood B, its bottom closing against the bottom of the bevel H by the action of gravity, the counter-weight c assisting in keeping it seated against the same. The edges of the valve G, fitted to the inner sides of the hood B, and closing against the flanged edges thereof, make close joints, so that the ink is contained in a close chamber. A penpoint inserted as shown in Fig. 1, which should in use, however, be raised more perpendicularly when. inserted, will pass down the bevel H, pushing the lower edge of the hinged valve 0 backward, and enter the ink. (See Fig. 3.) WVhen the pen is removed, the valve immediately closes behind it, and dust and air are excluded. The weight of the valve should be sufficient to close it, but not so great as to interfere with the free action of the pen. In certain cases a light spring may be used to close the valve; but springs are liable to rust from the acids of the ink, to stick, to break,

to get out of order, and are more expensive to make and fit and less reliable in use.

As shown in Fig. 3, the bottom of the inkspaee is concaved, so that if thereis any ink in the stand it will settle to the proper place beneath the pen.

In Fig. 2 I show as a part of my invention the shot-chamberF, which is a very useful adjunct and may be used with other inkstands if desired. It consists of a recess or cavity in the bottom of the inkstand immediately at the point where the pen would strike the bottom of the inkstand, and is filled with loose bird-shot of a suitable size, or with other equivalent material. The pen impinges inits descent against this mass of shot and-penetrates it with some difficulty, at the same time stirring up, displacing, and rotating the shot individually upon themselves and cleansing the tip of the pen from rust, dirt, or scale, which at the same time takes up a fresh supply of ink, so that the pen in use is always kept clean and its point uninjured.

Instead of shot, other cleansing and resisting material may be used, but I prefer the means I specifically describe. The shot, when placed in the inkstand, will naturally roll down the sloping bottom G to the recess provided therefor.

In Fig. I show the invention as particularly adapted for draftsmen, &c., though it may be used for artists in color, either with single or multiple ink chambers, and by others. The ink-space M" of Fig. 3 is there shown at K, andis laterally removable, like a drawer, through the side of the inkstand out upon the fixed platform L, or upon the table should no such platform be required. The drawer I is provided with the knob J, by which it may be withdrawn, and, in addition to the ink-recess K, is provided, when used for india-ink, with a rubbing-surface, upon which the solid color is ground down and the liquid collected in the recess K, where it is protected from d ust or evaporation better than by the means ordinarily used, access being had by the valve C, as heretofore described.

I prefer to construct the whole inkstand with all its parts of glass, including the valve 0; but I sometimes make the cover detacha- ICO ble, so as to fit different inkstands, and some times also make it of white metal, vulcanite, wood, or other material; but I much prefer making the surface of the valve, against which.

the point of the pen impinges, of glass or other vitrified material. I make these tops round, square, or of other shapes, and adapt them to inkstands having apertures of various forms and sizes for use, with which they may be sold separately. I also sometimes make the valves double, or multiple, with the same ink-space, either all fronting one way or in opposite ways, the valves thus opening inward toward each other.

I do not restrict myself to a vertical valve necessarily, as I sometimes make them overhanging or inclined backward at various angles, as for marking-pots, or mucilage-holdcrs where brushes are used therewith, or where it is desirable to have the valves inclined for any other reason. I also sometimes mount several of these valves upon the same stand with dilferent ink-spaces, as for red ink, copying-ink, writing-fluid, mucilage, &c. \Vhen used with a brush for a marking-pot, or for holding niucilage, I prefer to notch the lower edge of the valve 0 so that the stem of the brush may occupy said notch when the valve is closed, which will thus act as astripper for the excess of inucilage, &c-., the valve being pushed open by the brush when it is desired to refill the same. I sometimes in such cases provide the valve with a thumb-lever to open the same against sticking when direct pressnre of the fingers thereupon would be likely to soil them. D and D are pen-racks upon the front of the inkstand, and the pins E and E, in conjunction with the sloping rear part of B, are for the same purpose. and also serve, if required, to hold a pin-cushion, sponge-cup, or other like article when set thereupon, the pins corresponding to holes in the bottom of the same.

Having now described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

1. In an iukstan d adapted to be closed by a hinged valve, said valve being opened inwardly by the pressure of the pen thereupon, the removable valve G, composed of glass, or with a surface of glass or other vitrified material, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. Thcii'ikstandA, provided with ink-spacc M and hood B, said hood B having open bearings at its upper portion for the support of pins, in combination with the removable valve 0, provided with supporting-pins c and 0, adapted to rest in said bearings and support the valve, substantially as described.

3. In an inkstand provided withvalve-bearings, the vertical self-closing valve 0, detachably supported upon said bearings at its upper part and adapted to swing backward so as to uncover the ink-vent, substantially as described.

4. An inkstand provided with a swinging valve, 0, and an ink-space, M, having therein, in contact with theink, a recess for containing shot to resist the thrust of the pen and at the same time cleanse the same, the pen being simultaneously supplied with ink, substantially as described.

5. In an inkstand, in combination with the hood B and the valve 0, adapted to automatically close the ink-opening and to be pushed inward to open the same, the detachable slide I J K, provided with ink-receptacle K and grindingsurface I, substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. In an inkstand, A, the laterally-removable receptacle, K, in combination with the swinging and selt closing valve G,substantially as described.

ISAAC \V. HEYSINGER. 4

Witnesses:

P. ODoNNnLL, O. S. QUIN. 

